Spice-box



i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

ANDREW J. WORTHEN, OF MURPHYSBOROUGI-I, ILLINOIS.

SPICE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,453, dated August1, 1893.

Application filed November 1l, 1892. Serial No. 4551.650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that LANDREW J. WORTHEN, acitizen of the United States,residing at Murphysborough, in the county of Jackson, State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spice-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification,` reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmeasuring devices and it has for its objects among others to provide asimple and convenient -case or receptacle for holding spices and likearticles and designed for use say in stores, orit may bein a pantry orkitchen where it will be found most useful to the housewife. Y

I form a revoluble case with a plurality of compartments in which may beplaced the various articles to be measured, and Within each of thesecompartments is arranged a smaller receptacle having aplurality ofslides or movable partitions by which the desired quantity of thearticle within that particular compartment may be measured and'discharged therefrom. Each of these smaller receptacles terminates atits upper end in a hopper-like device of a shape corresponding to thatof the main receptacle and through which hopper the spices or otherarticles may fall and then be measured by the proper manipulation of theslides. The device may be made of any suitable material, andv may assumethe required shape; the preferable shape is that of a polygon as shownin the present instance. I may arrange at a point where it will bebeneath each of the discharge spouts a funnel through which the articlewill pass to a bag or other receptacle held under the said funnel. Thisfunnel is stationary and the receptacle is revolved to bring the desiredcompartment over the same. Then the slides are manipulated to measureand then discharge the required quantity of material therefrom. Thedevice as a whole is simple, cheap of manufacture, not liable to get outof order, and in practice has proved most efficient for the purposes forwhich it is designed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective `View of myimproved device with the cover shown removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the inner receptacle and itsslides removed, showing also by dotted lines its position relatively tothe other receptacle. Fig. 3 is a detail in` vertical section.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates themain body portion of the device which may assume any desired shape,preferably of substantially the shape shown,`and this'body portion isrotatably mounted on asuitable baseBwhich may be of anysuitableform,'having a ange b by which and suitable means it may be secured to acounter() or any other ,desired support. The central shaft D about whichthe body portion revolves extends somewhat above the top of the case asseen in Fig. l and is designed to engage a socket in the dependingportion c of the removable cover E which is designed to close the upperend of the compartments of the case and is provided with a suitablehandle e as seen in Fig. 1 by which it may be manipulated.

The various compartments of the case Aare substantially pyramid shapeincross section as seen in Figs. l and 2 and may have upon their outerfaces the name ofthe article contained in the said compartments. Thesecompart ments are designed to be filled with spices or any othermaterial from the top when the cover is removed as shown in Fig. l. Thecover is then replaced.

Within each of the compartments of the case I place a smallerreceptacleF which may assume any desired shape but preferably ofrectangular form as seen best in Fig. 2 and terminating at its upper endin a hoppershaped portion F as seen in Figs. Zand 3 conforming to theshape of the compartment so as to'fit snugly to the inner walls thereofas seen in said Figs. 2 and 3. The smaller compartments F aresub-divided by horizontal slides or partitions G which are tted to slidein suitable guides or openings in the walls of the compartments, theirouter ends IOO being formed into suitable handles g and their inner endspreferably turned either up or down so as to prevent their Withdrawalbeyond a certain predetermined point as willA be understood from Fig. 3.I have shown guides H in which the side edges of the slides may run butsuch provision is not necessary. The slides or partitions may bearranged at any suitable distance apart, say for instance in onecompartment they may be so arranged as to measure between them twopounds, one pound, halfapound orone quarter of a pound; and in anotherthey may be arranged to measure ounces; this, however, is a matterwholly within the discretion of the maker.

The operation will be readily understood; the various compartments ofthe case are Iilled with the desired materials and the slides are closedso as to prevent the discharge thereof from the smaller compartmentsinto which the material feeds through the hopper F; the slides are thenmanipulated to measure and discharge the desired quantity of the desiredmaterial. In order that the material may be discharged into abag or anyother de-.

rality of compartments and supplemental compartments within the same andhaving 35 movable partitions, as set forth.

2. A revoluble case having a plurality of compartments, and supplementalcompartment-s within the same and provided with movable slides andhoppers at their upper ends, as set forth.

3. A polygonal case having a plurality of separate compartments androtatably mounted, and provided with independent removable innercompartments with hopper-shaped upper ends, and movable slides, as andfor the purpose specified.

et. The combination with the rotatable polygonal case having apluralityof compartments with movable slides, of a removably supportedfunnel beneath the case, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with a pyramidalcompartment, of a smaller compartmentwithin the same and having at its upper end a hop- 55 per conforming tothe shape of the outer compartment, and movable slides in the smallercompartment and accessible from outside the outer compartment, as setforth.

In testimony whereof I aftiX my signature in 6o presence of twoWitnesses.

ANDREW J. WORTHEN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT H. WHITE, Guo. W. SMITH.

